1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an information processing apparatus having an input device via which a user inputs data by touching, almost touching, and depressing an operation surface thereof with a finger, an information processing method thereof, and a computer program therefor.
2. Description of the Related Art
Examples of a known input device for inputting data to an information processing apparatus include a personal computer, a keyboard, a mouse, a touch pad, a drawing pad, a touch panel, a joystick, and a track ball.
These input devices have been improved in view of downsizing, facilitating operation thereof, and the like.
For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2005-18669 discloses a touch panel utilizing an electrostatic capacitive touch in which pseudo-pressing is detected according to a change in an electrostatic capacity that varies with the size of a touched area.
In addition, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2005-38812 discloses, for example, an input device including a depressing force sensor configured to change the input score with a high accuracy based on the magnitude of the pressing force.
Further, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2003-223265 discloses an input device configured to detect whether a button is touched, almost touched, and depressed, for example.
In such an input device, a button is selected upon the detection of whether a button is touched, almost touched, or depressed. Then, for example, when one of the softbuttons displayed on a screen of a display device connected with the input device is selected, the selected softbutton is highlighted.
Further, a user depresses a button with a finger to apply pressure to execute a function assigned both to the selected button and the softbutton on the screen.